Let’s celebrate David Pleat’s long career in football. Tipped as “the next Tom Finney” as an England Schoolboy, young David rejected offers from a host of clubs to stay at home, finish his ‘O’ Levels and enjoy his mum's home-cooked meatballs! David's autobiography, "Just One More Goal" tells the story from his upbringing in Nottingham through a suc…

Ron Galbraith is a retired CEO and entrepreneur with a distinctive career path—one that began in academia, continued in healthcare, and ended as an entrepreneur. But before he enjoyed career success, Ron was a Ball State student who, on his first day on campus, walked into the wrong science class. Ron’s experiences as a first-generation college stu…

Dana Kenworthy has dedicated her professional career to serving the people of Indiana—in particular those who have been victims of abuse and neglect. Currently, she serves as a judge for the second circuit of the Indiana Court of Appeals, which is the second-highest court in the state. But prior to her appointment to the Court of Appeals, Judge Ken…

Throughout Dr. Jeff Bird’s long and fulfilling career in medicine, he has put his patients—and the people of Muncie—first. Dr. Bird grew up in Muncie. After completing his residency at Ball Hospital, he embarked upon a long and fulfilling career in medicine here in his hometown. As the hospital prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Dr. Bird …

During Brandon Allmon-Jackson’s major theatrical productions, he is never seen by the audiences. But as a stage manager fulfilling his dream of working on Broadway, he’s the person most responsible for making sure big acts—including The Music Man, Back to the Future, and Sunset Boulevard—go off without a hitch. In the years since he graduated from …

Hope Churchill is a senior studying business administration in our Miller College of Business. She’s also our current student representative on the Board of Trustees. In this role, Hope serves as the voice of her peers, advocating for her fellow Ball State students and bringing their perspectives to the board. As she prepares to graduate in May, Ho…

Jeff Feltman is a distinguished Ball State graduate who has had an impressive career in foreign affairs and international diplomacy. Currently, Jeff is the John C. Whitehead Visiting Fellow in international diplomacy in the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, and he's a senior fellow at the UN Foundation, both of which are based in…

Paris McCurdy is a graduate who played a pivotal role in Ball State's own March Madness Cinderella Story. Paris was a senior for the Cardinals when he and his teammates won the MAC Championship and went on to compete in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. As our basketball teams prepare to kick off another season of play, Paris reflects on his mem…

Roy Weaver spent nearly 30 years serving Ball State University—first as a faculty member and then as an administrator. He was the associate dean of our Teachers College for 10 years, before serving another 16 years as dean. In addition to his passion for serving Ball State students, Roy has a passion for Ball State football, which celebrates its 10…

This is Part 4 of All For The Love Of The Game, the story of Peter Withe’s memorable football career. Over these four episodes, it’s been a real privilege to sit down with one of Aston Villa’s most significant history makers. Scroll back and listen to the three previous episodes as we work our way through his football story played out over four con…

This is Part 3 of "All For The Love Of The Game", the story of Peter Withe’s momentous football career. Peter had reached 30-years-old having won two league titles with two different clubs. But even greater glory was just around the corner. And amid behind-the-scenes drama at Aston Villa, Peter describes the season he became a European champion des…

"I had a dream I would play for Aston Villa Football Club!" Welcome to Part 2 of All For The Love Of The Game, the story of Peter Withe’s memorable football career. In part 1, Peter took us from his humble football beginnings on Merseyside, all the way to league title glory with Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest. And we start this episode with his u…

Hi, this is Jonny Gould. I’m a lifelong Aston Villa fan, born in the city centre of Birmingham. My first game in 1977, was less than auspicious, a 4-1 midweek thrashing under the famous AV floodlights by a Dennis Tueart inspired Manchester City. But it got a whole lot better over the coming seasons and a key reason for that was Ron Saunders and his…

Help Jonny by buying him a coffee here and seeing his other podcasts too Our two guests today are professional sportsmen from two different continents, cultures and sports, united in countering racism and intolerance in the sports industry. They’re part of Project Max, who’s MD Eric Rubin was with me in Amsterdam at the European Jewish Association …

Since 2016, Mike McDaniel has been a dedicated member of the Ball State Board of Trustees. He is also a proud two-time graduate of our University, where he met the professor who became the mentor who shaped his future career in state politics. Mike recently finished his final legislative session as the executive director of governmental affairs for…

Brady Sallee became the head women’s basketball coach at Ball State University in 2012. Since then, he has established a culture of excellence for the Cardinals, a culture that is rooted in fundamentals and teamwork. For years now, Brady has broken records in Ball State Athletics. He is the only head coach to take his team to nine postseason tourna…

Hollis Hughes is very well known by many members of the Ball State University community. As a two-time graduate, Hollis had the distinction of serving on the University’s Board of Trustees for more than two decades. Previously, he served as a board member of the Ball State University Foundation, the Alumni Council, and the Black Alumni Council. Hol…

Anand Marri serves as Ball State’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, a position for which he is responsible for the University’s academic mission, including supporting leadership for all academic units. When he accepted the role in October 2023, Dr. Marri was no stranger to Ball State. He previously served three years as de…

Over the past three decades of his career at Ball State, Jim Lowe has dedicated himself to ensuring the functionality, comfort, safety, and sustainability of every building that makes up the University’s campus. As the associate vice president for facilities planning and management, Jim is responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance o…

Over the past three seasons, President Geoffrey S. Mearns has been the one asking his guests questions on “Our Call to Beneficence.” For this episode of the podcast, his two youngest children, his twins Geoffrey Jr. and Molly, turn the tables by interviewing him. “Our goal in doing this was to hopefully give people a side of you that they might not…

Betsy Ross is a Ball State graduate who became one of the first women to break into national sports news. Today, she is the president of Game Day Communications, a sports and entertainment communications firm based in Cincinnati. Betsy graduated from Ball State in 1972 with a degree in journalism. After working in print and television media in Sout…

Jim Champy is a leading expert on management issues involving business engineering, a topic for which he wrote a New York Times best-selling book that has sold more than two million copies. In addition to being the co-author of Reengineering the Corporation, Jim was most recently chairman emeritus of consulting for Dell Services. Before that, he wa…

Dr. Lee Ann Kwiatkowski—or Dr. K as she is affectionately known in the community—serves as the director of public education and CEO for Muncie Community Schools (MCS). When she accepted the role in July 2019, Dr. K assumed leadership of the innovative partnership between MCS and Ball State. Over the past five years, she has helped the district make…

Greg Fehribach is an attorney and the founder of The Fehribach Group, a consulting firm specializing in accessibility, universal design, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is also a proud two-time graduate of Ball State who made history as the first student with a disability to be elected to serve as the University’s studen…

Dwight Smith is an innovative producer of reality television shows in Hollywood. He’s also a proud graduate who, in his own words, grew up as a “Ball State baby.” In this episode, Dwight talks about how our University fostered his love for the entertainment industry and how one of his favorite professors helped him launch his career in Hollywood. D…

Randy Pond is an accomplished Ball State graduate who presently serves as the chair of our University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign. As our May Commencement speaker, Randy inspired our graduates with his story about being a first-generation college student. After graduating from Ball State in 1977, he embarked upon a successful and fulfillin…

Sutton Foster is a two-time Tony Award winning actor, singer and dancer. She is also an instructor at Ball State University. Fresh off her starring role alongside Hugh Jackman in the revival of The Music Man, Sutton returned to Ball State this Spring to prepare for an upcoming concert series and to teach and mentor our students, as she has been doi…

Earlier this month, Jeff Mitchell began his tenure as Ball State’s new director of athletics. Already he has identified his vision for the next era of Ball State Athletics—a vision inspired by his previous experience leading athletics departments at universities across the country. In this episode, Jeff talks about playing baseball in his youth and…

Mali Jeffers graduated from Ball State University in 2004. Since then, she has combined her passion for art and design with her skills in advertising and marketing to serve as co-founder of GANGGANG, a cultural developmental firm. Together with her husband, Alan Bacon, Mali is committed to building culture and community in her hometown of Indianapo…

Kate Doerksen is a 2005 graduate of Ball State who, as a Cardinal, excelled on the court and in the classroom. As a star on our women’s basketball team, Kate earned several MAC Honors, as well as a spot in our Athletics Hall of Fame. While majoring in entrepreneurship at Ball State, Kate was empowered by her professors to believe she had the grit a…

For more than 30 years, Jennifer Mearns has been the life partner of Geoffrey S. Mearns, President of Ball State University. She is also a mother, a grandmother, and an accomplished professional, having worked in sports marketing before becoming an executive recruiter. In this episode, Jennifer shares more about her family, her college experience, …

Angela Ahrendts is an accomplished Ball State graduate who, over the course of her career in business, has provided visionary leadership at the helm of companies including Burberry, the luxury fashion house, and the tech giant Apple. In this episode, Angela reveals the sign that (literally) pointed her to study at Ball State. She also talks about h…

Stedman Graham is an author, an educator, and an entrepreneur. After earning his undergraduate degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, Stedman served in the Army, mostly overseas, where he also played in the European professional basketball league. While in the military, Stedman also earned his master’s degree in education from Ball State. …

Michael Lewis was hired as Ball State’s new men’s basketball coach in March. Coach Lewis’ arrival ushers in a new chapter of leadership for Ball State Athletics. It’s also an exciting new chapter for Michael, who has returned to his home state after spending the past three years serving as an assistant coach at UCLA. In this episode, Coach Lewis ta…

Dan Towriss graduated from Ball State in 1994 with a degree in actuarial science. Over the course of his career, he’s led a number of successful insurance company acquisitions and earned a reputation for growth and a return on investment. Today, he is the CEO and President of Group 1001, an insurance holding company based in Indianapolis with asset…

Kayla Davion graduated from Ball State in 2017 with a degree in musical theatre from our College of Fine Arts. Before she even finished her undergraduate career, Kayla landed a part in her first Broadway show, Waitress. Since that initial opportunity, she’s consistently appeared in several shows on the Great White Way, landing roles in the musicals…

From 1984 to 2000, Dr. John Worthen served as the 11th President of Ball State University. During his tenure, Dr. Worthen earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues—and the campus community—on account of his effective leadership of the institution. In this episode, Dr. Worthen recounts growing up as a child during the Great Depression and …

Deborah and James Fallows are experienced, accomplished journalists who have influenced culture through their insights on politics, foreign affairs, and life in America. Together, the Fallows wrote Our Towns, a best-selling book that was published in 2018. Our Towns describes how they spent four years traveling 100,000 miles in their single-engine …

From 2004 to 2014, Dr. Jo Ann Gora served as the 14th President of Ball State University. During her tenure, she championed immersive learning, created a new brand—“Education Redefined”—for the institution, and successfully engaged with some of our most prominent graduates, including David Letterman. Dr. Gora shares what it was like to grow up in t…

Dick Emens was just a young boy when his father, John R. Emens, became the sixth president of Ball State. It was 1945. That same year marked the end of the Second World War—and the beginning of a tremendous period of growth for Ball State. In this episode, Dick talks about what it was like to grow up on campus during that time. He also reflects on …

Brandon Pope is an anchor reporter for Chicago’s CW26. He’s also an award-winning television host, media critic, and columnist. In the years since he graduated from Ball State in 2014, Brandon has applied the skills he learned in the classroom, along with the power of networking, to stand out in one of the country’s biggest media markets. He’s also…

Kent “Oz” Nelson is a Ball State graduate whose discipline, compassion, and common sense propelled him in his climb up the corporate ladder at UPS. In 1959, Oz began his decades-long career at UPS just two days after graduating from Ball State. He began as a sales and customer service representative, and he retired as chairman and CEO of UPS in 199…

Tiara Thomas is a Grammy and Oscar award-winning singer-songwriter who graduated from Ball State in 2012. Tiara grew up in Indianapolis and, shortly after completing her undergraduate degree in telecommunications, landed a record deal that opened the door to her professional aspirations of becoming an artist. In this episode, Tiara reveals how her …

Renae Conley is an accomplished Ball State graduate who presently serves as the chair of our university’s Board of Trustees. Renae grew up in Muncie, earned her bachelor’s degree and her MBA from Ball State, and then embarked upon a successful and fulfilling career that allowed her, time and again, to break the glass ceiling. In this episode, Renae…

Ashley C. Ford is a New York Times-best selling author, podcaster, and educator. Her debut memoir, “Somebody’s Daughter,” chronicles her life growing up as a young Black girl in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Ashley’s book was chosen by Oprah Winfrey for publication under her imprint, “An Oprah Book.” In addition to being on a first-name basis with the forme…

Don Yaeger is a New York Times best-selling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and leadership coach whose clients include executives in the banking, tech, and entertainment industries. After graduating from Ball State, Don worked as a newspaper reporter before he was hired as a writer and associate editor for Sports Illustrated, the world’s mos…

Our Call to Beneficence is a podcast that features Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns interviewing guests who embody the spirit of Beneficence through their professional success and their personal service. Beneficence means the quality of doing good through service and philanthropy. At our university, Beneficence is also the iconic …

Vince Bertram is a native of New Castle, Indiana. He earned four degrees at Ball State University, including a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in educational administration. After graduating from Ball State, Vince spent 20 years in education as a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent. Today, he serves as President & CEO of…

This is a wonderful conversation between two Aston Villa fans, who have supported the club through thick and thin for the last 58 years. Million selling author Lee Child, famous for the Jack Reacher thriller series and Simon Inglis, who’s written authoritative accounts of football stadium across the world. The conversation covers so much social and…

Covid has turned the Premier League on its head. The FFP regulations have hampered some of the rich and powerful and brought some of the lesser lights in midtable back into a powerplay. Where do Aston Villa fit into this new disruption? There's really only one person to ask: it's Yorkshire AVFC, the one and only FFP professor, Dave Jordan. ⚽️ Dave …